With the four African nations — Morocco, Senegal, Nigeria, and Egypt — now just two steps away from lifting the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2025) trophy, the semi-finals stand out for their rare concentration of talent, with five African Ballon d’Or winners brought together on the same stage.
This dream quartet embodies both the history and the future of African football, making AFCON 2025 an exceptional edition at every level.
AFCON 2025 is also making history thanks to its outstanding attacking productivity, having already reached the record mark of 119 goals, equaling the record set by the previous edition in Côte d’Ivoire.
The four semi-finalists in this continental competition represent the historical elite of African football. Each of these teams has already written its name into the competition’s honors list, with memorable victories and generations of legendary players.
These stars are Achraf Hakimi, Ademola Lookman, Victor Osimhen, Sadio Mané, and Mohamed Salah. Between them, these players have shared the last seven African Ballon d’Or awards, with Sadio Mané and Mohamed Salah each crowned twice, further confirming the historic and prestigious nature of this final four.
Mohamed Salah, Egypt’s technical leader, continues to shine with his national team. Against Côte d’Ivoire, he was decisive in play and scored the Pharaohs’ third goal, taking his personal tally to four goals in the competition.
The same applies to Victor Osimhen, who dominated the match against Algeria and established himself as Nigeria’s key player. The former Napoli striker opened the scoring with a superb header before perfectly setting up Akor Adams, who finished to seal the match, showcasing his quality and attacking chemistry with his teammates, according to FAAPA.